Nonslip bath mat



y 1932- J. E. GROSJEAN 1,861,389

NONSLIP BATH MAT Filed March 19, 1930 Jan 1 g @gyeaq Patented May 31, 1932 UNITED STATES JAMES E. GROSJ'EAN, OF LIMA, OHIO NONSLIP BATH MAT 7 Application filed March 19, 1930. Serial No. 437,144.

This invention relates to a bath mat adapted to be placed in a tub or shower compartment for the primary purpose of preventing a person from slipping.

There are various types of non-sllp bathtub mats that have heretofore been proposed but they present disadvantages that seriously interfere with practical and commercial manufacture and use.

Some of the essential requisites for a satisfactory mat include the provision of surfaces having a high coefficient of friction w1th respect to the tub bottom and w1th the soles of the feet, durability to wear, resistance to deterioration, simplicity of eonstructlon, and low cost of manufacture. In prior proposals, rubber mats have been attempted with various devices to prevent slippage. These include suction cups, corrugatedpr ribbed surfaces, and in some instances cha ns or hooks that are secured to the tub IlIIl. In the use of corrugated or ribbed rubber surfaces and with suction cups, deterioration causes the breaking and rotting away of the ridges and their effectiveness is soon destroyed. Furthermore, these are not entirely operative to prevent slipping 1n soapy water solutions. In the use of chains or hooks, rusting eventually takes place and the books also tend to chip the enamel surface of the tub.

I have devised a novel article for use as a bath mat which meets the essential requirements for successful use and. manufacture and which possesses none of the disadvantages hereinbefore enumerated.

My bathtub mat comprises a flat body of rubber provided on top and bottom surfaces with a woven netting which is adapted to serve two essential purposes: viz., (1) as non-slip surfaces for frictional engagement with the tub bottom and with the soles of the feet, and (2) as reinforcing units for the body of the mat to prevent breaking of the same under bending stresses. The entire mat is surrounded with a neat border which prevents unravelling of the netting and which gives the article a pleasing appearance.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of mat showing part of the border cut away;

Figure 2 is a view in elevation showing the smooth side edge and the netting or weaving in relief upon top and bottom.

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line of Figure 1 showing the structural de tai s;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the mat partly 0 broken away showing the rubber base between two layers of netting and top and bottom borders overlying the netting edges.

Referring specifically to Figure 3, the mat is composed of a compounded tacky sheet of rubber 1 with loosely woven cord nettings 2 stuck fast to the top and bottom sides thereof. The thin rubber sheet border 3 overlies in part the edges of both top and bottom nettings thruout the entire perimeter of the mat, so that no frayed ends appear and a smooth side edge 4 is obtained as shown in Figure 2. The preferred form for a bathtub, as shown in Figure 1, is provided with a rounded offset 5 at one end, which offset fits toward the water outlet of the tub so that draining can be freely accomplished. This offset has the further purpose of permitting the mat to be more securely held on the edge of the tub when the mat is being dried after i use. When the mat is folded upon its longest axis and laid on the tub edge, the offset revents it from sliding off the tub edge. owever, this offset is a detail that may be omitted, or a corresponding additional offset may be formed at the other end, if such is desired. Likewise, the shape of my improved mat is not necessarily restricted to that which is shown; for example, in a shower bath I may provide a substantially square shape with a central aperture for drainage purposes.

My preferred method of making the mat is as follows: The loosely woven fabric cords or nettings are placed on the compounded tacky sheet of rubber, and after the cord material is stuck fast to the rubber sheet, a thin rubber sheet is applied from the outer edge to cover both sides inwardly about an inch or more. After vulcanization, a compact mat is the result. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the netting may be first vulcanized and the border applied later. Or, if desired, the border may be made of some material other than rubber and may be applied by stitching or other known securing means. While the border is highly desirable, under some circumstances it may be dispensed with altogether. It is also within the province of my invention to apply the netting to one side of the mat only, leaving the other side free, or if desired, modified in a conventional manner known in the art. The netting should be of fabric, or in the alternative, a material which has all the frictional characteristics of fabric cord under the conditions of bathtub use. Such materials that are fibrous in nature such as pyroxylin base compounds known as artificial leather, etc. are not excluded. Any nature of Weaving may be adapted to my invention, so long as it gives the proper frictional and reinforcing characteristics.

The color of the rubber body which may show through the netting may be suitably adjusted to the color of the border to give a pleasing appearance. My composite mat is flexible, durable, simple in construction and when placed in a tub or shower compartment the bottom netting prevents slipping on the tub bottom, while the top netting prevents slipping of the soles of the feet.

While I have described my mat for use in a tub or shower bath, it is within the province of my invention to use it for placing in sinks or on drain boards, in order to protect fine dishes and the like from nicking and chipping when they are washed. For such use, it is preferred to have the fabric on one side only, although it may be on both sides. It can be readily seen that the mat may be used for a wide variety of purposes, both for wear and for protection, as indicated by its characteristics and properties.

I do not wish to be restricted in the spirit and scope of my invention other than the limitations imposed by the prior art and appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bath mat comprising a body substantially of rubber, an open mesh fabric of fibrous material partly embedded and vulcanized in said body with the remainder of the material exposed at one side of the body for non-slipping contact with an engaged wall of a bath tub, and a border member vulcanized to the said side of said body and overlapping the marginal edge of said open mesh fabric.

2. A bath mat comprising a body substantially of rubber, an open mesh fabric of fibrous material partly embedded in opposite sides of and vulcanized to said body, the marginal edges of said fabric being inwardly spaced from the marginal edge of the body, said fabric on said opposite sides affording my hand.

JAMES E. GROSJEAN. 

